y work trying to copy the figures on
their slates. I let them use them every day now, however, for they
must learn, by gradually growing familiar with the use of a pencil,
not to use it like a hoe. There are furrows in the slates made by
their digging in which you might plant benny-seed, if not cotton!

_Jan. 29._ Am trying to teach the children how to tell time on the
dial-plate of an old English clock, "Presented by Sir Isaac Coffin,
Bart.," as its face informs you--one of the many valuable things
demolished.

_Jan. 31._ Started directly after breakfast to spend the day and night
with H. We broke down, as usual, had to stop and be tinkered up, so
that William was late for the ferry, and when we got to the Oaks
avenue I got out with my bag and basket and let him go on. I trusted
to fate to find some one to carry my traps for me the mile up to the
house. The drive was lovely, and I found some people waiting by the
roadside for Mr. Soule, to get passes to go to Beaufort. A boy readily
took my things for me without promise of any payment. On the walk I
found he was one of the Edisto refugees who are quartered at the
village and supplied with rations by Government, but he had left home
with only two pieces of hardtack in his pocket and without breakfast.
"Think we'll go back to Edisto, Missy?" he asked most earnestly,
hoping that a stranger would give him some hope that he should see his
home again. He was a nice boy; as a general thing the Edisto people
are a better class of blacks, more intelligent and cultivated, so to
speak, but those brought from there were then refugees from many other
places.

Mr. Philbrick brought word that the North Carolina army[102] had
arrived at Hilton Head, and we were excited to know who of our friends
had come.

_Feb. 1._ A message came back from Mr. Philbrick that General "Saxby"
was coming to dinner. The General was decidedly blue about affairs
here at present. He wants to stop the sale of lands very much, though,
as he can control the sale so as to keep it out of the hands of
speculators, I hope the sale will take place. You cannot understand
how much we long to have the sale over. If it could only have taken
place a month sooner it would have been all the better, as then the
purchasers could have stocked their places by the time work began. As
it is, the people have gone into the fields without the necessary
number of cattle or mules, and with only their worn-out hoes; the
Edisto